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Just the other day I was standing on the patio waiting for a client when the garden service guy from the house across the road opened their garden gate only to unleash a very excited and enthusiastic Basset Hound. Yep – out she ran, ears flapping, totally in her element with her new found freedom. The garden guy tried desperately to get her back inside, but she wouldnt have any of it. It was quite a sight!So while I was watching the struggle unfold across the road, and literally holding my sides laughing, I realised that Basset Hounds must be my all-time favourite animal! The pure contradiction between the face and that enthusiastically wagging tail just make me smile.

It was shortly after this incident, when hubby and I were in the midlands that I came across a little blue wooden tortoise with one of those bobbing heads at a local craft shop. Buying it, I stuck it on my dash board and spent the next hour or so continuously giggling at the smooth “everything-is-gonna-be-alright-mahn” bobbing of the tortoise’s head! Yep, I figured this would be the best “Calmette / Rescue” remedy for a bad day – just jump in the car, put on a good tune and watch that tortoise bob his head!

And thus my list of “top 5 things that make me happy” was born!

Along with the Basset Hound (I am still to acquire one of my very own instead of stealing glimpses of the cutie across the road) and the tortoise (which still bobs at me every day), I also have a ring tone that makes me giggle everytime I hear it (despite the blank stares I get when I, full of pride for my new found ring tone, show it to friends and family – they just dont get it.) To that list I have also added a favourite song and am still in search of my number 5.

The idea has been so infectious that my hubby has painted the patio blue and claimed the space was now in his “top 5 things that make me happy” list! He then acquired a “mario brothers” ring tone and added that to the list too. Let me just add that we are both humming the mario brothers soundtrack for the entire day after his phone rings! All this got me thinking that it would be a marvelous way of staying positive. I mean why not? Why not surround yourself with things that make you happy, things that make you giggle (even if no one else gets the joke)? In fact, the mere task of assembling the “top 5” list has been a fun adventure and I reckon it could do with a re-evaluation every 6 months or so – well at least this way you would be forced to find new things that bring you joy!

So thats message of the day, friends – start assembling your “top 5 things that make me happy” list and fill your days with a giggle here, and a happy thought there. Its a great way to keep you smiling even when you feel that life is getting in the way! Go on, you deserve it!

Wow, it feels like yesterday that I looked at the calender and we were headed into February and my thought then was “wow, cant believe we are entering the 2nd month of the year already!” Its now 7 months down the line, I wipe my eyes and have to look again to realise there are only two and a half months left of this year! Its incredible how fast time flies by.

On the other hand I am also encountering more and more people who feel they have literally dragged themselves through the year, or are finding it increasingly difficult to get motivated and struggle to feel the end of year excitement the way many of us do. Common complaints are feeling demotivated, feeling sluggish, not in the mood to be around people, sleeping poorly and feeling tired all day as well as the occasional feeling of tearfulness. A general dissatisfaction with the way things are and an inability to find the joy in daily activities that used to be enjoyable.

Well my friends – that’s why they call it the blues, and it sounds a whole lot like Major Depression to me. In chatting with many of these people there seems to be a resistance to admitting they may be facing depression, or a resistance to getting the necessary treatment. So I figured I’d spend some time on the issue here and hopefully clear up some misunderstandings.

Let’s first look at the symptoms of depression:

Feeling tearful or “down” more often than not

Disturbances in sleep – particularly waking up in the early hours and unable to fall asleep again

Disturbances in appetite – either over-eating, or a lack of appetite (sometimes weight gain and weight loss)

Decrease in energy – feeling sluggish and fatigued

Social withdrawal and a preference to be alone

Inability to find joy in previously pleasurable activities

Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness

Thoughts of suicide (more present in severe depression)

Indecisiveness

Loss of concentration and inability to sustain attention

Low libido

Now, if you’ve been feeling most of these symptoms for a month or more, it is more than probable that you are actually struggling with a major depressive episode (that’s the fancy psychiatric name for depression). The really important thing to remember here is that depression is as much a physical illness as pneumonia, or diabetes is and deserves the right treatment too.

What actually happens when you are depressed (“depressed” in the sense of experiencing a major depressive episode – not “depressed” in the general term used when feeling sad)?

Well, to put it briefly and simply – our brains send messages from transmitting neurons to receiving neurons via chemicals known as neurotransmitters. Amongst the 30 odd neurotransmitters found in the brain, serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine have been associated with emotional regulation, reactions to stress, and the physical drives of sleep, appetite, and sexuality. As a result, anti-depressants function to regulate the amount of a specific neurotransmitters in the brain – some anti-depressants such as SSRI (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors) work with serotonin only, while others affect the dopamine levels.

While there does appear to be a very strong relationship between neurotransmitter levels and clinical depression, and that anti-depressants are highly effective for the majority of people, we can still not be 100% certain of the actual relationship between neurotransmitters and depression.

As a result, psychotherapy and a variety of other management techniques are also effective in the treatment of depressive episodes. – Here are a few really important aspects in managing and treating your depression:

EXERCISE EXERCISE EXERCISE: Despite that lethargic, de-motivated, and energy-less feeling you have, the irony of it is that dragging your bum to the gym, or going for a walk actually increases your energy levels, allows for the release of some endorphins and generally gets you feeling better. Besides the health benefits of exercise – its a great way to feel good about yourself when you have actually accomplished something

SLEEP! again, despite the lethargic feeling, try not to stay in bed past your waking up time, try not to have afternoon naps. Get 6-8 hours of sleep per night – no more and no less. Sleep regulation with an exercise programme will do wonders for your mood.

DIET: Its easy to get into the comfort eating mode, wanting “feel good foods” like ice cream, cakes and chocolate. Believe me, engaging in healthy foods is going to help your blood-sugar levels, regulate your energy and generally assist in feeling better about yourself. Make sure you are getting enough vitamin B’s (the full range are excellent in managing depression)

SELF CARE: you deserve to take care of yourself and do nice things for yourself. If you had flu, you would take time out and rest. So, if you feel like you need some time out – take it, but don’t get caught in a loop of self-pity and wallowing – rather take the time to get active in gym, eat healthy and tackle that old hobby you had put aside ages ago.

FIND SUPPORT: talk to your friends and family about how you are feeling and let them take you out occasionally. Don’t shy away from social interaction – isolation and loneliness only feeds the depression

And if all else fails – visit a psychologist! 🙂

Oh yes, and with summer fast approaching (well here in South Africa) don’t be afraid of getting a little sun – it really does energise and gets your lust for life going!

“Happiness and sadness run parallel to each other. When one takes a rest, the other one tends to take up the slack.” ~Hazelmarie Elliott (“Mattie”)

We have all had it in our relationships – you start discussing point A, your partner hears you say B and before you know it you are arguing about Z (having worked your way right through the alphabet!). A small issue about wet towels becomes a huge argument about in-laws and everything in between so that you no longer remember what the point of all this was and you’re left feeling much angrier than when you started! This miscommunication when discussing issues in relationships is universal. Everyone has experienced it and no one knows why it happens! But ladies, lets admit it – half the time we also expect our men to just know what we mean, to intuit the fact that right now we need them to hug us, or for them to have psychically understood that the dishes were supposed to have been done already and that is why we are irritated. 😉

Why is it, in our closest relationships, we just don’t come out and ask for what we need? I mean, lets face it, most arguments are born from an unmet need. Usually a need to be loved, or a need for closeness. All relationships have these issues, and the longer you’re in that relationship, the more you come to realise that there are some issues that, no matter how many times they are revisited, they just never really get solved. Some couples begin to feel frustrated – begin to believe that their relationship is faulty, that their partner just doesn’t want to change, or hear them.

Well, the news here folks is that all relationships have problems and, whats more, all relationships have perpetual problems. After all, some wise person did say that “marriage is choosing a set of problems that you are willing to work through for the rest of your life”. The “faultiness” comes in when those problems become stuck and you are no longer able to discuss them.

So today we are going to look at some techniques that keep arguments on course (instead of wafting through a number of issues that are not relevant to the point). Techniques that keep arguments fair and respectful, and lastly, some techniques that will help both partners feel like the issue has been resolved (if only for a short while).

The first thing to keep in mind is your approach. If you are the one carrying around an issue that needs discussing, keep your approach gentle. Bulldozing in there with arms flailing, raised voice and a whole sack load of accusations is only going to make your partner cower in fear, or throw up the armour – either way you would have lost him/her. Your approach needs to be gentle.

Instead of an accusation, rather make the statement about you – Crouching issues in criticisms is simply not O.K. So instead of “you’re a horrible husband – you always ignore me” try saying “I feel really alone when you seem to ignore me”.

Keep it concise – no one is going to want to listen to a whole barrage of issues and evidence for their faults being slung at them. Its really hard to hear a complaint that goes on and on…Deal with one issue at a time and try not to hoard all your partner’s ‘wrong doings’ as proof of what a ‘terrible person’ they are.

If you can, try start with something positive. so instead of starting with “you always watch TV and never talk to me anymore” try “It was so nice when you sat chatting with me last week, I wish we could do more of that”. This isn’t always an easy point to remember – especially when you’re feeling angry. But try it folks – it works wonders! Sometimes it even sidesteps an argument altogether!

Talk clearly about what you need. Instead of “this kitchen is a mess!” (and then stomping around a little), try saying “I’d like some help cleaning the kitchen”. Your partner is not psychic and cannot always intuit your deepest needs – using subtle hints is bound to leave you disappointed.

Be polite – you don’t need to be nasty when complaining or requesting something. Using words like “please” and “I’d appreciate it..” makes your requests/complaints much easier to swallow.

Once you’ve made your approach, give your partner time to respond. The response should always include a little empathy. Try to find at least one thing that you can agree with. Accepting some of what your partner is saying allows you to remain connected during the issue. Remember you dont have to agree with his/her point in total, just a small part of what is being said. How about an example?:

Rob says (with a gentle approach because he read this blog beforehand :)) “Sue, I loved it when you came to watch my rugby match last week. It is a little disappointing that you refuse to come along ever again” Now Sue says “Mmm, it was nice being with you (see how she accepts this), but its really boring for me to just sit there on my own – you never come to my functions”. Now its Rob’s turn: “Maybe it is boring (see how he accepts this) but its only for an hour and then we are all together afterwards having fun, your functions go on for hours!”

I’m sure you get the point, The discussion may very well turn into an argument about a perpetual issue – namely that Sue is always supporting Rob, but isn’t feeling very supported herself. Maintaining some acceptance of your partner’s viewpoint will assist in both partner’s feeling heard and understood. Should things get a little heated, however, the next point is super important.

Watch out for becoming emotionally overwhelmed. Basically if you start to feel tense, holding your breath, clenching fists, raising your voice, stopping eye contact, or feeling really angry – you are getting overwhelmed. Research shows that when your pulse reaches 100bpm you are actually no longer capable of being rational (Gottman,1999). This is as good a time as any to call “time out” and cool off. Take a 30 minute breather, go for a walk and calm down. Make sure, though, that you are thinking about what your partner is trying to say, rather than self righteously reiterating your point to yourself. When you get back – start from the top with a gentle approach and see if you cant work things out this time.

Lastly – compromise. Make sure you have accepted some of what your partner is telling you and that you communicate what you intend to do differently next time. They should do the same. Make sure that neither of you are compromising too much – a compromise that amounts to a sacrifice will often end in resentment. So for example, if Rob were to give up his rugby for Sue – that would be a sacrifice. However, if he were to play rugby twice a month instead of every week so he could attend some of her functions – that would be a compromise.

The goal of any discussion / argument is to reach a compromise where both feel heard, understood and are willing to try meet the other one’s needs.

So there we have it friends – 4 steps to conflict resolution:

Gentle approach

Acceptance / empathy

Avoid becoming emotionally overwhelmed and take time out

Compromise

Till the next time:

“The biggest mistake is believing there is one right way to listen, to talk, to have a conversation — or a relationship.” – Deborah Tannen

As many of you know, my practice is geared toward working with adults and adolescents, and a special passion of mine is working with couples. It’s an interesting job, really, because the more I work with others in relationship – the more I learn about my own and I often find myself imparting advice that I could actually rather use myself! In this exciting journey into couple’s therapy I am learning a very important lesson and I thought I’d share this with you all…

Friendship and Positive Sentiment….

At the very basis of a healthy relationship lies a friendship – that is, an ability to like the person you’re in love with. I have seen many people take this for granted and somewhere a long the line they have simply stopped liking one another – They are still in love, but they can’t see why. Friendship is the part that keeps you interested in one another, that keeps you complimenting one another, watching out for one another, playing with one another and, most importantly, laughing with one another. Friendship is the part that allows for argument, but respects differing opinions, that stays involved in creating joy together and is interested in generating common goals together. In relationships, or marriage, couples somewhere lose sight of this – life becomes routine, differing interests develop, separate friends are made, partners stop complimenting one another, they stop playing and laughing together, they stop discussing common goals, and sooner or later they are on different trajectories where arguments become laden with resentment and contempt instead of an appreciation for different viewpoints. Well, at least this is the journey of isolation if the friendship isn’t maintained.

Friendship inevitably leads to fondness and admiration of one another – a sense of “we” instead of “me” and with all this comes positive sentiment. What is positive sentiment and how is this different from negative sentiment? Well, lets give an example – John gets angry with Jane after a hard day at work, effectively he is simply taking his frustration out on her. Jane, while slightly offended and hurt, quickly realizes he is stressed and thinks to herself “Oh, he is stressed. Just let this go – tomorrow he will be fine again.” If this relationship was shrouded in negative sentiment, Jane would probably have thought “He is always going off at me, when will things change?”. When John eventually apologizes and explains his stress, Jane (in negative sentiment override) will think “He is just saying this so I can make him dinner – this is how he manipulates me”. However, if Jane was coming from a positive sentiment position she would be thinking “Shame, he really needs support”. So you can see how positive sentiment keeps the relationship in a supportive, content space, whereas negative sentiment begins to cloud and overshadow judgement – making it all the more difficult to reconnect.

Many couples facing ‘stuck’ conflict, relationship difficulties, continuous arguing and communication breakdown are in various stages of negative sentiment override – They have lost their fondness and admiration for one another, they have lost the friendship. Their communications have become laced with criticism, defensiveness, contempt and isolation and they are struggling to get re-connected. So, what can you do if you are headed down this path???

Revisit the friendship I say! Here are some ideas to get that fondness and positive sentiment flowing again…

Every day make a point of it to find one thing about your partner that you admire or appreciate – COMMUNICATE this to them

Try to incorporate a “date night” once a week where you re-connect emotionally. This doesn’t have to be a lavish dinner at a restaurant, it simply has to be a break in routine. Lovely ideas include:

A picnic on the lounge floor

Playing board games instead of watching T.V.

A walk on the beach and an ice-cream afterwards

A trip to the Botanical Gardens

Simply have dinner around the table instead of in front of the T.V

Try to take 10 minutes every day after work to ask your partner about their day (and truly listen to what they have to say)

Think about your relationship and how you have weathered certain bad times – reminisce together about these victories

Take time out to discuss your goals – where do you see yourselves in a year, 5 years, 10 years, retirement? – plan together, create some dreams together – start singing from the same hymn sheet!

Find common interests and do them together – join a ballroom dancing class, take up fishing, or cycling, or hiking, or camping – basically anything that could become a common hobby

Plan getaways together. Get some quality ‘away’ time where you are both relaxed.

Once a month, go somewhere where you can dress up and be beautiful for him, or handsome for her. Make an effort to do your hair, smell nice (and maybe get some nice underwear again!)

Laugh together

Healthy relationships also have problems… they exist in all dynamics. The way in which these problems are handled makes all the difference and the way in which you handle a problem will always depend on the sentiment you’re in. Try not to tackle perpetual issues when in a negative sentiment override – chances are you will not hear your partner, nor will you feel heard. Build on your friendship first and you will find a shift in the way you handle difficulties…

In future posts I will visit the techniques used in gently and effectively resolving issues, but for now – remember:

“To love someone is to learn the song that is in their heart and to sing it to them when they have forgotten” – Anonymous